Common Sense of a Duke's Daughter

CHAPTER 57

"Tell me, what has happened?"

Naturally my voice also got strained. Just why these two came in haste with such desperate expression... hardly could it be due to some kinds of witless reasons, I suspected.

"It's the Church of Darryl – they were going to pronounce an excommunication against Milady...!"

"Say what...!?"

To the turn of event which would not happen even in my wildest imagination, I involuntarily let out a scream-like voice.

My face was turning pale. A sudden wave of dizziness overwhelmed me as if I was suffering from anemia, and my heart was beating wildly inside my chest.

...In this country, the Church of Darryl is the official religion, with most of the population being affiliated as its followers. Strictly speaking, being regarded as representatives of God whom the citizens worship as the object of faith, the words of Darryl Church's Pope and its Priests carry significant weight. At times, such can easily surpass the aristocratic authority.

As may be expected, it was set up so that the son of Darryl Church's Pope should attend the academy reserved for nobles' children only.

Meanwhile, a pronouncement of excommunication by the Church of Darryl means that the subject will no longer be recognized as one of its followers... or to be frank, they have been banished from the communion on moral grounds for good.

Almost every citizen in this country is a follower of the Church of Darryl. Conversely, non-believers in the eyes of the rest are referred to as merely "heretics." Let alone being excommunicated, they are considered sinners to the Church as well as a public target of contempt.

For a noble's daughter who should be a leading exemplar of the country to be excommunicated... this isn't a matter on the level of giving me a bad name. It is something which should not have occurred in the first place.

Obviously, all credit and personal connections I have built up so far will also be gone.

To speak as an Earthling, perhaps this is rather similar to the event referred to as the Humiliation of Canossa. Without doubt, many would make use of this excommunication pronouncement to strike at me... just thinking of that already gives me a headache.

"The reason was?"

"For deliberately having a church destroyed. To disrupt the land devoted to God is an impudent act against Him, a sin which could not be forgiven... such were the reasons stated."

"...For deliberately having a church destroyed...? Don't tell me, the land readjustment project...?!"

Certainly, I did destroy one of their churches. It was the building served as an orphanage where Mina used to live. Nevertheless, it should not be a trouble since that place is no longer in possession of the Church, a plot of land currently belongs to no one. Furthermore, we already have a plan to build another big church as a replacement though.

This was totally against me... no, the more I think of it, this pronouncement is an attack directed against the whole Armelia Duke House.

...Was that son of Pope – Van – the one pulling the strings from behind? Or perhaps, the Church itself orchestrating this incident? Or again, this being another ploy of the Second Prince's faction?

"As for the countermeasures... that's right, let's submit the construction plan and design of the new church to them. We need to clarify that it was not mere destruction, but a relocation of the old building to another place."